Ashok Gehlot assures INDIA bloc "fully united" after meeting with RJD top leadership

Patna (Bihar) [India], October 22 (ANI): Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday assured that the INDIA Bloc is "fully united" after he and AICC Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru met with Rashtriya Janata Dal's top leadership, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav.
Ashok Gehlot also informed that the Mahagathbandhan will hold a press conference tomorrow to show the strength of the alliance. He also slammed the BJP for running a "sponsored campaign" in Bihar to create an "environment" that would suggest a rift within the alliance.
"Today, a highly positive meeting took place with AICC Bihar in-charge Shri Krishna Allavaru, along with Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav and Shri Tejashwi Yadav. The INDIA alliance in Bihar is fully united and is contesting the elections with strength. Tomorrow, the full situation will be clarified in the Mahagathbandhan's press conference," he said.
Further speaking about the friendly fights on some seats in the alliance, Gehlot assured that it is not something out of the ordinary and Mahagathbandhan has "no problem" at all.
"In 243 seats, due to local leaders and equations, a situation like a friendly fight sometimes arises on 5-7 seats. This is a very small number, but a campaign was run against the Mahagathbandhan in the media over it, whereas in reality, there is no problem at all," he said.
"Bihar now wants change, and the people of the entire Bihar understand that the victory of the INDIA alliance in the state is in the interest of the country and the state," he added.
The Mahagathbandhan has about 12 seats where at least two allies have filed nominations. However, this notion of a friendly fight has invited criticism from the NDA alliance, which has had no fissures after its seat-sharing arrangements were announced.
LJP Leader Chirag Paswan said that the alliance had collapsed before the first ballot could be cast.
"The way an infighting is going on in the Mahagathbandhan and the way the alliance has completely collapsed, even after that if they are thinking that they will come to power, I think it is nothing less than 'Mungeri Lal ke sapne'... Today, after so many days, they addressed the media. Where were they for so long? Today, Ashok Gehlot has come to Bihar after everything is over in the Mahagathbandhan. Where is Rahul Gandhi? Isn't it the responsibility of senior leaders to sit and sort things out maturely? This shows that the alliance that cannot keep its parties together, how will it keep the 14 crore people of Bihar together?" Paswan said.
"These people either don't know how to form an alliance or how to keep the alliance intact. The people of Bihar have understood that they are not going to give the state into their hands... The result that we saw in Haryana, the same result we are going to see in Bihar for Mahagathbandhan," he added.
The assembly elections in Bihar are scheduled to be held on November 6 and 11, respectively, while the results will be declared on November 14. (ANI)